Lovers' Tiff
by Kinneko
Summary: Ayame calls Kouga a baka. Fighting ensues. And other stuff.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"Kouga!!" a female voice echoed in the forest, though the wolf prince was still nowhere to be seen. "Kouga, I know you're here!" Ayame leapt from a branch and rolled gracefully to the ground, holding something in her palm.

"What do you want?" his smooth voice called out. Ayame spun around with a slight gasp, growling as she found the male behind her, arms folded and eyes narrowed. "I told you to stay in the mountains, where you can't be harmed."

"The mountains aren't safe anymore, Kouga!" Ayame felt her fists clench. "After that bourei attacked, he ate everything. There are no animals, and the forests are destroyed—he trampled them! There's nowhere to go, we've been scattered in the woods for days. Kouga, please—"

"Urusei." (Shut up.) His sharp reply cut her off. Ayame pursed her lips, restraining a growl. "There's no food in the mountains, so gather food and go back. The oni won't follow you."

"Kouga," Ayame growled and thrusted her fist out. The wolf prince flinched horribly, one arm lifting in defense, but Ayame opened her palm, revealing the purply-pink shard. "You said you would take a woman who could see Shikon no kakera, I can see them, and I swear I can! No one really believes me, and you don't have to, but I have one, Kouga."

"Will you shut the fuck up?!" Kouga pushed her back. "I don't fucking care!" He turned and began to leave, but Ayame followed, wiping at her eyes and trying to keep the stern look on her face, not let it fall as her legs wanted to.

"Why are you doing this? Kouga!! I can help you, I want to help you! I'm not weak; I'm stronger than you think, baka!" (fool)

Kouga spun back around, hair whipping as he took a step forward so that Ayame nearly tripped. "What did you just call me?"

Her mouth worked up and down, a word choking in her quivering throat. The wolf princess gave a little cough to clear her throat, straightened her body and let her shoulders relax and held her chin up.

"Asshole."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Follow at your own risk," he had muttered and continued. He wasn't running, at least, but walking quickly. Her wolves had caught up to her, and so had his. Kouga's wolves seemed anything but angry at the addition to the small pack, and Ginta and Hakkaku had even smiled.

"Nee-chan," (Sister) Ginta called like a small child, trying to look at Ayame's face. Ayame though, turned her face away quickly, her small hand pressed to her cheek. "Daijabou desu ka?" (Are you all right?) His voice lowered with each syllable, as though he was frightened that Kouga would hear.

Ayame started to nod her head, but knew even if she lied to the two wolves, as innocent as they were, they'd be able to tell. "Daijabou ja nai," (I'm not all right) was all she whispered. Ginta fell silent and slowed so that he walked back beside Hakkaku.

"Baka!" (Idiot!) Hakkaku spat, his hand flying over Ginta's head to smack him none-too-gently.

"Baaaka!" (Idiot!) Ginta whined back, glaring at Hakkaku, "What was that for?"

"You're so stupid! Kouga hit her, can't you tell?"

"Ee?" (Huh?) Ginta looked to Ayame, then forward to Kouga. "Kouga wouldn't hit a female."

"Not without feeling really bad about it."

"Maybe he lost his temper…"

"And Ayame lost hers?"

"Yeah, and now he feels like a—"

"Excuse me?" Kouga stopped and turned around, one brow raised. There was a pain in his eyes, though his expression held a half-hearted guise. "I feel like a… what?"

"…betsu ni," (…nothing) the two muttered in stereo.

Ayame watched the two, watched Kouga, watched the smaller wolves walking, a few slower than others. Her cheek wasn't so sore anymore, but her heart ached. Sure, she knew she was annoying at times, and even she had a temper to match Kouga's… but…

_"Asshole." _

His hand shot out like a viper, ready to strike. She flinched, though it didn't stop his palm from shooting across her face. It felt like fire, like ice, all at once. After her hand went to hold her cheek she let out a rush of air, then sucked it all back in and clenched her teeth.

"Are you gonna cry? Pssh, you're so pathetic." There was sarcasm in his voice, there was pain in his voice, but he pulled her up and she swallowed another cry. "Follow at your own risk."

…but he'd _hit_ her. Kouga didn't ever hit females. It was a rule, wasn't it? For a male never to strike a female, unless she was dangerous. Was she dangerous? It didn't make sense for him to hit her, slap her… whatever it was called. It was against his own policy! So why—

"Gomen." (Sorry)

"What?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"_Why?" _

"Because I hate feelin' guilty, and I'm not gonna let some spoiled princess brat send me on a guilt trip."

They'd exited the forest, had come to more mountains. "We'll have to climb over them," Kouga said allowed.

"But the wolves can't climb!" Ayame said to him, standing further back still. Kouga looked at them over his shoulder.

"You two, take the wolves around, we'll wait for you to catch up in the next forest."

"What about Ayame-neechan?" the two asked in unison, the white wolves around them began to whine at the thought of separation.

"She's coming with me." He gave a sigh and waved his arm. Ayame didn't reply or argue, but took a few jogging steps to catch up to him as he started up the hill. It wasn't so steep now, but she knew it would get steeper, rockier, and more dangerous.

"What about the others?" she whispered, trying not to breathe too deeply. Panting showed a lack of air, and that was weakness. She couldn't be weak around Kouga. "Why couldn't we all just walk around the mountains?"

"Because those two are a couple of idiots, but they're smart idiots. There's a village in the center of the mountain. They'll get there and know to avoid it, but not know how. Give them enough time they'll get through it, though. It's important to try and get them to think." Kouga rushed up a particularly steep and sandy piece of land, turning around when he heard Ayame yelp and begin to slide down. He skidded down the ground carefully and grabbed her wrist. "Why don't you use that shard you found?" he asked, snaking his arm around her waist and taking a small leap to his other position. "You'll be much stronger."

"To be honest," Ayame frowned when he let go of her and struggled to keep up as he climbed. "I don't find sticking a sharp object into me very exciting."

"Come here." A burst of wind pushed Kouga from the steep side onto a level plane close by.

"Huh?" Ayame dug her feet into the ground before she too leapt, catching onto the side of the plane with her hands. A whine escaped her as her feet scrambled to keep her from falling, but Kouga's calloused hands grabbed her wrists and pulled her up.

"Where's the shard?"

"You can't have it," Ayame said defensively. "I found it, it's mine."

"Fair enough, but you're still a weak bitch." Kouga grabbed for her hand, ignoring her protests. When she tried to pull away, he grabbed her with his other arm and pushed her to the ground, forcing her palm open.

"No, it's mine!" she practically screamed.

"Shut up and stay still!" he shouted and she fell silent, giving a jerk when he grabbed her leg. Ayame closed her eyes as he took the shard between his fingers and jammed it hard into her calf. For a moment, the gem stuck out, but then slowly sunk into her skin.

"Why there?" she gasped, the pain searing in her leg slowly fading.

"Because it's not an important part of your body, not as important as others, anyway." Kouga got to his knees and took her wrists again, helping her up. "I've seen demons put them on their heads, well their skulls were crushed to retrieve the shard. Some demons put them in their throats; they died too. Some swallowed them, keeping them in their stomach. Well… their guts were slit to find the shard. Put it in an arm or leg and that can be reattached if it's cut off."

"Oh." Ayame rubbed her leg briefly, then realized Kouga was holding his hand out to her. "What?" He rolled his eyes, giving a small sigh.

"Your hands are scratched; climb any more and you'll get blisters. Come on, I'll carry you on my back at the next hill, and when we get a river I'll wash your hands."

"I can wash my own hands!" Ayame whined but took his hand. He tugged her gently and she followed beside him, falling silent. Her hands were indeed very sore, and his hands were warm.

He led her along the path, trying not to make a haughty comment. Females were sensitive like that, and Ayame was a great example. Kouga glanced at her briefly but feared he would blush, so quickly kept his eyes forward. She had a temper to match his, but when the status quo changed in another's favor, she quickly backed down.

"Did you ever remember?" her calming voice entered his mind and he stopped to give her another look. She fell silent.

"On my back," he commanded softly and knelt. Ayame stared at him a moment before she crouched and slid her arms around his strong neck. He stood and caught her thighs, jostling her gently to pull her more securely onto his back. When he was sure she wouldn't fall off he leapt off the flat plane, beginning to slide down the mountain, breaking into a run when the steepness fell straight. He heard Ayame give a cry and silence it into his shoulder. "I won't drop you," he said loudly past the rush of the wind. He gripped her thighs more tightly as he ran, and then jumped, propelling himself from the wall and forward into the treetops. Her muffled scream returned and he felt her tense.

They landed, though he kept running. He slowed to a jog, then to an unhitched walk. "Are you alright?" he asked after a good hour. Ayame lifted her head from his shoulder and looked around. They were at a stream.

"I'm fine," she murmured, relaxing finally. He knelt and she slid from his back, sinking her legs into the cool water. Ayame looked up and began to stare at the sky, turning orange and pink. It amazed her how quickly the sky changed colours, and briefly her attention was deterred from her present situation.

"I remembered." Kouga's deep voice broke her from her thoughts, but she didn't look down. She felt him take her hands and sink them into the water, and then pull them out and rub them gently. His rough hands smoothed with the saturation, and his strong fingers worked rather diligently to carefully massage her own hands. Soon, the soreness faded away.

"And it doesn't bother you?"

"What doesn't bother me?" his voice rose slightly, not in alarm.

Ayame growled impatiently. "That you promised to take me as your mate!"

Kouga growled in annoyance. His body began to tense, his jaw locking momentarily. "I told you, I'm in love with Kagome!"

"She's a human, Kouga! Doesn't that bother you?"

"No, it doesn't!" Kouga made a snarl and clenched his fist. "Why can't you accept the fact that I'm going to—"

"She's in love with the hanyou! Can't you accept that? Are you so blind?"

Another, more vicious, snarl escaped his throat. Kouga turned sharply and roughly grabbed her forearm, tugging her forward. "You don't understand, Ayame! I might be able to sway her emotions, her affections, I can still—"

"It doesn't matter!" Ayame pulled at her arm. "You don't love me, so it doesn't matter!" She pulled again, but Kouga didn't let go, but his face had relaxed suddenly, as though realizing something. "Let me go! I don't even know why I bothered, I thought you'd… might change your mind. It was stupid—you're right, I am stupid."

"If you would just—"

"NO!" Ayame cut him off again. "It's not like you can keep any promises anyway!"

His teeth began to bare again, his body rumbling with a deep, throaty growl. Faintly, a muscle close to his eye twitched once or twice. "You… are **THE** most _infuriating_ woman… I…"

She eyes caught a motion from his hands, but she didn't expect him to grab her throat. Ayame let out a shriek that immediately stopped as Kouga pulled her towards him, his hand tight to the back of her throat as he forced his lips down upon her. His second arm wrapped tightly around her waist, almost possessively, as he kissed her.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: This is a highly suggestive chapter. While nothing is "lemony" is actually written, it's still on the verge of not being allowed, so please don't spazz out. It's not that big of a deal. If problems arise, I will remove the story.

Chapter Four

Was it passion… or lust? The heated kiss, that accidental kiss, fueled by so much frustration and anger, had pushed him. He wanted, no, he _needed_ a woman. His body ached at every thought of Kagome, and though this was not Kagome, his body still yearned.

He could hear her whimpers, her moans. They were not Kagome's; they were of a higher pitch. This body was strong; he knew Kagome was very weak and fragile; this body was strong. "Kouga…" the voice whispered beneath him. His skin was so hot, as hot as fire, he thought. When he opened his icy eyes, he felt cold.

There was Ayame beneath him, panting and moaning, but smiling and blushing. Her eyes were closed and her hands were twisted around blades of grass. Her body was covered in droplet of water; it was raining. Kouga shook his head. "Just shut up."

Her pale lips parted to speak but they shut and she swallowed down a moan.

He had no idea… what had possessed him to deflower her.

After his stamina had given out at last, he simply lay close to her, holding her. The rain would chill her soon; he needed to redress her and take her to a cave, build a fire. Kouga sat up, scooping the slumbering female into his arms and practically dragging himself into the stream nearby, letting the current erase any signs of what he tried to think of as a simple rut.

Their furs were soaked, and the armor would do no good. Kouga carried the female in one arm until he found a small deserted den. It took several attempts to start a fire, but soon he managed. He scooped the female up to his side and held her as the fire began to grow and grow, and until he was sure it would not die, he stayed awake.

He loved Kagome, but… what now about Ayame? He had taken her, but again… was it passion, or lust?


End file.
